Education Books

People have been telling me to read Harry Potter since I was in high school ten years ago. I finally started reading the series this weekend after my running buddy convinced me to, and I have already finished the first three. JK Rowling is really clever and witty. I know her intended audience is kids, but I think they are appropriate for all ages. As I read these books I oscillate between wondering if children can grasp everything she writes about, or whether I need to give children more credit for what they can understand.

As I ponder why I enjoy these books so much, I have come to several conclusions. First, I really enjoy Quidditch. Secondly, Rowling has an amazing ability to write child characters. I remember people from my own life who I identify with characters in Rowlings book. These stories are great not only because the story is interesting, but because they bring back memories from my own childhood. So, for any of you who were like me and did not want to read the series everyone has been talking about, start reading the series.

I'm an 11 year old girl, and I began reading the Harry Potter series when I was about nine. By far, this was my favorite one. I think I've read it about... seven times now. Definately worth it!!!

I love the Harry Potter series, but the first book in the series is a favorite. The characters are rich and fully developed. The substance of Rowling's world is well thought out and detailed. Rowling's writing is wonderful and great for all ages.

We had this on cassette tape, and just purchased it on CD. Jim Dale is outstanding! Very entertaining on long car rides.

I have to admit that I came upon the whole Harry Potter phenomenon pretty late, even though I've been aware of the franchise for about 10 years. I had always observed and respected Rowling's incredible success but I couldn't finish watching the first movie and always put off reading the books. But then last Christmas, magic happened. Well, sorta. My brother bought me the movie version of Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix. The problem was that I had never watched any of the four movies that came before it! And only in the last 2 months or so did I go back and watch the movies in order, and I found I really enjoyed them once I gave them a chance. So when summer vacation started I sat down to read the first book and really liked it.

Harry Potter has led a hard life all of his short 10 years and is on the brink of starting an equally dismal eleventh. His parents died in a car wreck when he was an infant and he was reluctantly taken in by his aunt and uncle Dursley. They treat him like dirt, relegating him to a small crawlspace underneath the stairs in lieu of a real room, that just gives him space enough to lay down and sleep. The Dursley's son, Dudley, is equally vicious to Harry. While Dudley gets every toy and luxury the Dursleys can afford, Harry never gets anything nice. His aunt and uncle think Harry is weird and has strange abilities that they cannot explain. Things change on Harry's eleventh birthday when he recieves a letter inviting him to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Even though the Dursleys want Harry to be a normal kid and quit being so strange, Harry soon learns the truth about his parents. Namely, that they were powerful wizards that were murdered by an even more powerful sorcerer named Valdemort. This same Valdemort is the entity that left a scar on Harry's forehead the night he killed his parents. Harry is famous among magic users for being the only person to survive a face to face encounter with Valdemort, a man whose very name inspires fear. Now, Harry must set out on his own journey to become a great wizard, and along the way, make new friends and be accepted as a human being worthy of respect and kindness.

Who doesn't want to escape the crazy existence that is life on Earth in the 21st century, to get away from war and and the paranoia of religion and terrorism? To live in a world where magic allows incredible miracles...but also incredible evils. That's the cool thing about Rowling's story. Things are not all hunky dory in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. There aren't a lot of kid heroes whose parents were murdered in cold blood and then have a scar burned into their flesh. And let's not get into the cruelty that Harry has to endure for almost eleven long years by relatives who should have been turned over to the cops for child cruelty. Some of the things in this book are very dark. This isn't a world of magic where everything is covered in fairy dust and everybody smiles all the time and gets along with each other. It has a strong vein of realism, at least in the spiritual trials the characters face and their relationships with each other. Friendship and the importance of it is one of recurring themes, as illustrated by the bonds that form between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I was also impressed by Rowling's ability to take a formula, (a magic school) and make it seem fresh and original. This book could have easily turned into a hack job. But the author's imagination sweeps aside any such notions and whisks you away for a couple hours of your life. A great read.

I adored reading the Harry Potter books, but I always wished I could hear them read in the appropriate British accent. Jim Dale is not only an excellent reader of the books, he creates remarkable voices for each character. His readings have given me new insight into the books. I recommend purchasing any of the audio CDs of the Harry Potter books, as read by Jim Dale.

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Date: July 8, 2000
Publisher: Scholastic press
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
# of Pages: 734
Genre: Fiction

In this fourth edition the main character Harry Potter is now 14 years old. Of course, Harry is still that same boy from book one with the lightning bolt scar, only now he is slightly older and he begins to understand the challenges that face him ahead. It seems like just another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry until the Tri-Wizard Tournament is announced and Harry is mysteriously entered into the tournament as a contestant. The Tri-Wizard Tournament is a magical competition that tests the contestant's bravery, knowledge, and magical skill. Along with the tournament readers are introduced to two other magical schools (Durmstrang and Beauxbatons) and get a rare glimpse of the wizarding world during the Quidditch World Cup. Again, Rowling combines her vivid details of the wizarding world to paint an amazing picture that allows the reader to revel in even the smallest details that make Harry Potter so special. Along with the death-defying Tri-Wizard Tournament, Harry must now focus on the return of Lord Voldamort and his death eaters. Once again, Rowling also introduces a few new characters into the story, both good and evil. A new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor arrives at Hogwarts and some problems are created by house-elves throughout the story. The positive about this book is that they first third of the book spent reviewing the previous three Harry Potter books, so even if you have not read them you can start at book four and have a good idea of what is happening. Also, many points of the plot are left open leaving room for book five.
There really is not a negative to this book. Honestly, after reading the first three books I was leery that Rowling was not going to be able to continue writing such engaging stories, but once again she proves that she is able to keep the magic alive. Rowling does an excellent job of reintroducing the main characters and keeping her faithful readers engaged.
Personally, this is my favorite book from the popular series. Rowling is able to take this story to a new level by creating a slightly darker version of the popular series and allowing the main characters to experience challenges unseen in the previous books. Goblet of Fire is the first time that a main character actually dies at the hands of Lord Voldamort, the main villain within the series. This is also when Harry Potter, the main character, begins to develop into a young adult and begin to take on the responsibility as the main rival of Voldamort. Overall, this story marks a turn in the Harry Potter books that expresses a more "adult" tone to the story.

I've been reading the "Harry Potter" series sense Gr. 2. The first was ok, the second was mildly intertaining and the third took a giant step in making the series understanding. But the forth is far by the funniest and most clever of the series. I like it how the author (J. K. Rowling) squeezes more information from book to book. It's very understandable and fast to read. If your a fast reader you can probably get to Chapter 3 in about 2hrs. This book is "AR" (Acellarated Reading) and is fun to read. It is worth 32 Points (Awesome). As other books you search for big points this series can take you up far. My friends and I read the "Harry Potter" series and love the films. I heard the other books like books 5-7 have more than fifty Points (I almost threw up it was so high!). I reccomend these books for people who like long stories that make some sense in each book.

After the brilliant Prisoner of Azkaban expectations were running very high.
Fortunately, Rowling delivers yet again.
Another book that was almost impossible to put down.
Azkaban was shorter, but this one is really long.
Its length didn't deter anyone from reading through it in record time, including me.
Adding even more drama and action and a story line that was simply amazing, Goblet of Fire succeeds on every level.
Goblet adds a more mature theme to the series as the characters get older, which adds even further depth to the series.
Another winner from Rowling and another must have/must read.
Recommended!!!

Triwizard Tournment ,Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasly.

Harry potter has a horrible life under the commands of the Dursleys. He wants to get to Hogwarts, a wizard and witchcraft school, one of the three, Beaxubutions and Durmstrang. This year the Triwizard Tournment is happening at Hogwarts it hasn't happened in over one-hundred years.

The champions are Viktor Krum, one of the worlds greatest seekers, Cedric Diggory, a fellow hogwarts, Fluer Delacour, a Beaxbutions student, and Harry Potter, himself! The problem is Harry did not put his name into the goblet of fire. He is too young. Who put his name in the goblet of fire?

Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins have badges that say "Vote For Cedric Diggory, The Real Hogwarts Champion". If you press it into your stomach, it says "POTTER STINKS".

The first task is easy for Harry it gets harder and harder until the final task.

I would recommend this book to readers who like fantasy and magic. By Zoe

My family has enjoyed listening to the Harry Potter audio books for several years. Jim Dale's readings include a host of characters with remarkably distinctive voices that carry over from the first book, the Sorcerer's Stone, to the last. He reads with fabulous energy and makes these great stories come to life like nothing I've ever heard before.
The Prisoner of Azkaban is no exception. This audiobook is a fabulous way to enjoy several afternoon in the car or in your favorite chair at home.

A fellow Potter fan pointed out that this book was longer than "Chamber"
My bad.
I must have been confusing the movies. DOH!!!
I blame it on age. :)
As for the book, ahem....
In short, it's brilliant.
All the action and drama of the first two with twists and turns that made it almost impossible to put down.
The Prisoner of Azkaban further advanced the series with slightly more mature themes and an absolutely haunting atmosphere.
This book solidified the series as a force to be reckoned with.
Same as the previous two, highly recommended.

Like the first two Harry Potter books this book is great, it is in this book that parents should beware; it starts to have a few more moments that might scare the younger reader, it takes on a darker side as Harry ages and Voldemort begins to gain his power back, Definately makes you want to continue to read the complete set, this is my second time thru the books and I never tire of reading them. Great Reading for all ages

I liked, is in good condition,parece nuevo, a mi sobrina le encanto thank you !!!! por tener todos estos tipos de libros.

It's a great story, with much more detail and interest than the movie that was based on it. Jim Dale's performance is excellent and really brings life to the characters.

I took off one star because one of the disks was scratched & Amazon cowered behind their policy that they would not allow an exchange of an audio product that was opened.

This book inspires me to be a better person. Cheers to Greg and David for writing something totally worth reading. Cheers to Greg and all of his pals who have lived this truly inspiring story. Bravo!

As a voracious reader I have read the masterworks of many literary greats and been engulfed, if not transported, by the prowess of equally great, though not necessarily noteworthy, authors and storytellers. Three Cups of Tea is unequivocally the best story I've ever read (could be that this is where my head is these days). Beautifully written, it's one man's tale of a failed attempt to summit the most razorous of Himalayan peaks and how that failure lead to his benevolent efforts and selfless success as humanitarian. Greg Mortensen, Director of the Central Asia Institute established stateside, is a real American hero. His mission is to combat poverty and subjugation with education - "books not bombs". CAI has built over 50 schools, particularly for girls, in the most rugged and sequestered terrain of Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan in the last 15 years. The alliances he's forged and relationships he's built with the most unlikely cast of characters is a real testament to Greg's passion for his work and a genuine belief in the fundamental and universal human need for self-reliance.

I found this book on the bottom shelf in a bookstore at the Albequerque Airport and I hadn't read ANYTHING about it beforehand but only now have seen other Amazon reviews. I am a teacher at a school in a suburb and have recently seen a major decline in the educational values of students and parents in our district which not only saddens me, but scares me as well - especially when I realize that these kids will grow up to be adults in our society. I commend "Dr. Greg" for his passion in educating the children in these remote areas. My hope for all who read this book is that they would become more aware of the ramifications of uneducated people in their own community as well as around the world.

There is very few books that can move you like Three Cups of Tea. This book also educates us...

Let me begin with the requisite: This book is beautiful and inspiring. Beyond that, though, it is a case-study in development favoring a pragmatic, bottom-up approach as championed by William Easterly (author of "The White Man's Burden.")

There have been so many well-written reviews of this book that I wish not to extol it any further, but rather address a couple concerns brought up in the handful of grieved reviews. First is that the book is "overly polished" and too thick with detail; on the contrary, the little flourishes of detail embellish a story that would otherwise drift from drab village to drab village. The second criticism is that Mortenson is "ego-centric" and Relin overly apt to praise him. I would strongly disagree with the first, especially since--contrary to what some people believe (if they did not read the introduction)--Mortenson was not an author, per se, but rather a contributor. And--while Relin never quite goes into great detail about the criticisms lobbied against Mortenson--there is, in fact, very little to touch upon there aside from a few Islam-phobic, unworldly Americans.

Bottom line: Read. Not just this book, but any book--enjoy that privilege which, as we are reminded here, so many in the world still lack.

This one is a classic, of course. Chances are that you remember it from your own childhood, what more is there to say?

My nieces love this one. It's not too wordy, so it's great for very little children and for those nights where you really want everybody in bed five minutes ago! But the words that are there are perfectly selected, nothing is missing. Lyrical is the word I'd use.

And the story about Max having his time-out and repenting (or, for that matter, his mother changing her mind about her over-reaction) is one that most children can relate to, I think.

If you want something really wild read the Adventures With Boys series! It's as good as this book!

This was my one of my favorite kid books that I loved! However, just seeing the cover again reminds me how it scared me a little. It didn't stop me from enjoying the story. I still have the tattered version in my store room.

I have purchased it as gifts too and the kids love it!

Merna

Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!

His mother called him "WILD THING!" Max is sent to bed without eating anything. He sails off into a far away land where is becomes the King of the wild things.

As a child, I was afraid of what could be under the bed or in the closet. My mom used to read this book to me and told me that there are no monsters under the bed or in the closet and that I have to sail to far away land to see one. As a dad, I read this book in the same message.

Some criticize this book as being too scary for little one I think it's a good way of showing that there is nothing to fear. Besides these monsters are almost adorable compared to what kids see at a shopping center

The illustrations have become such a classic that almost every kids monster characters can be trace back to this. From the opening of the page kids will feel like there is something familiar about it and be drawn in.

The story ends with Max returning to find his supper waiting for him. A nice touch to show mothers love.

The last line in this great book is "...and it was still hot", and it is!
I first read this book in a Children's Literature class in college (which was taught by our county's wonderful head Children's Librarian); I used it for my picture book presentation. I later over the next few years told it at different events as an "oral tradition" style presentation, which goes to show you how well it is written. The other thing is the wonderful illustrations.

For those of you that aren't familiar with children's lit, the gold medal on the front of the book is the Caldecott Award for Excellence in Picture books. You can hardly go wrong picking up any book so designated and give to a child.

I read this to all my kids and now grandkids and they have all loved it,
And my sweetheart has taught Kindergarten this whole decade and read this to every class, and they all continue to love it every time!

We bought this book for my 3y.o. son a couple of days ago and he loves it. Though it is very simple compared to what we usually read (he's a big Seuss fan), the pictures are colorful and very creative, and it's a great introduction to animals and colors. Plus, because of it's simple lines and rhymes, it's easy for him to remember and he likes to "read it" himself... as he is interested in "reading" stories to us this is a great experience (with his favorite Seuss books such as The cat in the Hat this is not so easy). I was a bit doubtful about buying this book because he is used to more complex stories, but I'm happy to say that it was a great buy! :-)

I bought this when my son was only a year. I had it on the shelf for a few years without much use. He picked it up one day, and we read it together when he was 3. He wanted me to read it again. That was all he needed, he started to read it back to me.. and to his brother.. and to anyone who would listen. He even recites it when the book is far away. What an impact it has had. A good buy, but wait until they are a bit older than 1. ;)

We bought this book for our twenty-one month old grandson and he just loves it. You have to read it to him four and five times and more every day. It's the book he gives to you to read to him before he goes to bed. It's a great book because he can learn his colors and see different kinds of animals. I would definitely recommend this book.

I started reading this book to my son when he was only a few months old. He is two now and still loves it. Great rhyming and colors.

as part of the bedtime routine for my now 18 mo old boy. Of course, I am able to recite it by rote after oh, about 10,000 times. I don't even have to pay attention any more, as he knows where to turn the pages. Why do I keep doing this night after night? Because every time I ask him if he's ready for his story, he giggles with delight and runs to get Brown Bear, and Goodnight Moon, the other book of our nightly ritual. Brown Bear always comes first, Goodnight Moon always comes last. In between, we vary it with others, like Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear; Quick as a Cricket; Are You My Mother; The Very Hungry Caterpillar; Thomas the Tank Engine; etc. I love Brown Bear for making that sweet little boy express such delight at reading it.

I enjoyed this story, and the sequels, as a young girl. Wrede creates a magical world that has a unique feel while incorporating common elements from fairytales. I've read in several times since and still enjoy it. Dealing with Dragons is very much a girl power book - almost all of the good main characters are female, Princess Cimerone rejects the staid life society thrusts upon her and charts her own course, and the King of the Dragons ends up being a female (King is just the title of the job, designating nothing about gender). It is well written, something that can certainly not be said of all fantasy novels written for this age group, and the story is fun and engaging.

An excellent book for young children that enjoy fantasy with an odd twist. Highly recommended.

I loved this series in middle school and would highly recommend it as a fun leisure read for children in that age bracket.

Princess Cimorene is tired of embroidery, etiquette, and protocol classes. She wants to take Latin, fencing, magic, and cooking lessons instead. But, that's just "not done." So to avoid a betrothal to a handsome and charming (but not particularly bright) prince, she runs away to become housekeeper for a dragon. As a dragon's princess, Cimorene gets the freedom to cook and clean and to organize libraries and treasure rooms. She also has to fend off persistent knights who come to rescue her, and investigate the actions of a couple of sneaky wizards.

Patricia C. Wrede's Dealing with Dragons is a refreshing change from some of the more recent fantasy epics aimed at teenage girls. It's light, fun, and often hilarious as it pokes fun at several fairy tales and fantasy clichés. The plot moves rapidly and the writing is clear and precise. The dialogue is particularly good.

I listened to Dealing With Dragons on audiobook. Listening Library does an excellent job recording this with a full cast of actors; I highly recommend this format. --FanLit.net

The book is extremely entertaining. Cimorene is certainly the kind of princess you don't often see in fantasy. And Kazul is not the typical dragon either. The book is really funny and is guaranteed to make you laugh

A pleasent book that I enjoyed. It's more than a book about sports. It's about a man who's strong faith in God who he can come too during hard times. His faith in Crist helps to lead him in making decision in life and the people he deals with on the gridiron. This book is also for those who don't like sports. It's refreshing to know there is man in sports who does't compromise his beliefs just to win games. Finally he is a man who believes in family's and for his players to do the right things away from football that will help them win in life and on the field.

I bought this for my son who really does not read much. He completed the book and the study lessons. He really enjoyed it.

What an inspiration Coach Tony Dungy is and this book was one I could not put down.

As a Steeler fan who is old enough to remember Dungy as a part of the Steel Curtain defense (but not as large as I remembered!), as a Christian husband and father, and as a Patriots hater who cheers for any team against New England, I had three reasons to look forward to this book, and it was even better than I expected.

Dungy's writing, with assistance by a co-author, reads as mild and humble as his (lets face it) nerdy appearance. Despite, or because of, this to-the-core character, Dungy has succeeded at the cutthroat business of professional football at the highest level. Remember, neither of the teams he has coached had any history of winning before his tenure, and he essentially won a Super Bowl with each team (Chucky Gruden won with Tony's players after Dungy was fired, and you can see what kind of success Chucky has had since!).

One of the amazing aspects of Dungy's book is how wide spread his deep-rooted Christianity was amongst the "nasty" 70s Steelers--Dungy, Dirt Winston, Mel Blount, and Donnie Shell not alone made for one of the hardest-hitting defensive backfields in NFL history, but apparently one of its most mature and consistent Bible studies as well. It is encouraging to read about NFL players and coaches who focus on family and faith, not contracts and crime sprees.

Dungy never sounds boastful or arrogant about his faith, usually demonstrating his life lessons from his own mistakes. My tears spotted the pages of the chapter when Dungy talked about his son's suicide and the rest of the way it was hard for me, and for Dungy as well, to focus on football. As he says in a later chapter, never confuse your goals (winning a Super Bowl) with your purpose (glorifying God).

I needed reminding. Thanks, Tony!

This book is fantastic - I couldn't put it down! I have been a big fan of Tony since he was the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, because of his presence on the football field. This book is an honest and inspiring account of Tony's life and the trials and successes he has encountered. Thank you Tony for a great read.

I was required to get this book for my special education training that I need for my master's. This book was very interesting. It showed the good and bad things Torey Hayden did in the course of serving this one child, Sheila. I could not put it down.

This story gave me tears of sadness and tears of joy. While it is heartbreaking to learn of all the abuse Sheila has endured, it is
heartwarming to know that SOMEONE took the time and effort to encourage her and to reach out to her. This book is a wonderful testament to the power of love and the human spirit.

I'm half-way through this book and I LOVE it so far!! I'm in school to become a teacher and we're reading this book. It has opened my eyes!!!

My second book by Torey Hayden, but definitely not my last.

ONE CHILD is the story of Sheila, a young girl who was abandoned on the side of a highway by her mother. Now the charge of her drunken father, Sheila is wild, sometimes crazy, and never cries.

What follows after her arrival in Ms. Hayden's classroom (following an incident that is truly chilling) is the relationship that grows, in a short period of time, between Sheila and Torey.

A very good but emotional read. I highly recommend it, and also recommend picking up a copy of The Tiger's Child, which is the continuation of Sheila's story.

At age six, Sheila had already endured a lifetime of horrors. Her mother abandoned her on a highway at age four; her alcoholic father neglected and traumatized her. Thus, it was scarcely a shock to anyone when the coarse, hate-filled child attacked a three-year-old boy, nearly burning him to death.

At such a tender age, Sheila's fate seemed inevitable - a lifetime in a psychiatric ward. Yet while the state awaited placement, they decided to put her in Hayden's special needs classroom.

Initially skeptical of a child with such a background, Hayden nonetheless did her best. Quickly, she glimpsed an intensely intelligent child, who longed for love and acceptance.

This wasn't to say it was an easy job. Nor was there any fairy-tale ending. Often, Sheila went into uncontrollable rages, damaging property, once even throttling pet gerbils when she perceived she had been wronged. Yet after glimpsing the inner Sheila, Torey Hayden refused to give up on her.

Then one day, several months after Sheila arrived in Hayden's classroom, the teacher received a call -- the psychiatric hospital was ready for Sheila. Despite having made a breakthrough with the child, would Sheila's life really be taken away before she had a chance to start it?

As always, Hayden's stories about the children with whom she has worked are deeply moving and memorable. By no means does she attempt to portray herself as a miracle worker; she freely admits her mistakes along with her triumphs as she merely dedicates her life to helping turn young lives around.

Readers interested in learning more about Sheila may be interested in the sequel, The Tiger's Child, which picks up when the girl is 13 and recently reunited with Hayden.

I received this book as a gift and was reluctant to read it as the subject matter was not of interest. I started to read it just to see what it might be like and was captured by the outstanding writing. It was just a joy to read and the characters will stay with me forever.

About half way thru this book and had to set it aside. I'll return to it later as it is a little too intense and the language is shocking.

I thought his books Beach Music and The Prince of Tides were much better. I could not put Beach Music down.

This is a great military/coming of age novel by Pat Conroy that I would put slightly behind The Great Santini (one of my favorite books of all time) in his catalogue. In this story, Conroy follows a young cadet at the fictional Carolina Military Institute (modeled partly on Conroy's time at The Citadel) as he endures his plebe year and then comes to grip with the fact that the school fosters a great deal of hate, racism and cruelty to accomplish its mission of developing the Complete Man. Conroy's writing always moves quickly with engaging dialogue, humor and entertaining story lines and this book is no exception. It is certainly deeper than your standard pop fiction book, but it reads just as easily and quickly. I would highly recommend it to Conroy fans, people who enjoy good fiction (even my mother likes this book) or people who have interest in military schools or the South in the 50's. A very good book.

Gorgeously crafted, eloquent, beautiful, gripping, powerful. Simply an amazing book. All of Pat Conroy's books have common ties to his childhood, and this one is perhaps the best of them all.

The mark of a successful coming of age story is that you, the reader, can see yourself reflected in the protagonist. For me, this book worked very well. Will McLean, the main character and first-person narrator, a second generation Irish boy, son of a Marine, a mongrel outsider in the pedigreed Carolina Military Institute searches for himself, the man within the boy who is being molded by a system of discipline and honor that doesn't match his internal morality. He's an English major in a college of warriors. He's a basketball player, a finesse guard, in a school of brute force. He's fighting against systems he doesn't understand within a life choiceless in it's inequality.

Pat Conroy, himself a graduate of the model for the fictional Institute, The Citadel, weaves a compelling tension-filled story while eloquent in his setting, Charleston, South Carolina. Employing gracious proper Southern dialect filled with flowers, antiques, and tradition, he describes brutality, racism, sexism, and betrayal. The language works well because it provides within its description the biting irony of the scenes. Will McLean fights through every taboo the South has to offer in the 1960's: a black cadet in the all-white tradition of the military college, an unwed pregnant girl shunned by society for her shame while the father of her baby remains blameless, the brutal plebe system that crushes individuality while remaking young men as soulless military automatons, the classed society of high south old money and it's cruelty to those not born within the circle, and the fact that military honor doesn't equate to individual morality.

Fighting through this maze of pitfalls, McLean has only his closest and dearest friends to rely on, roommates Dante "Pig" Pignetti and Mark Santoro, two brawny, Northern boys of Italian descent and Tradd St. Croix, an "old Charlestonian" (from a very rich and respected family). His moral guide through the story is the epitomy of hard military men, Colonel "Bear" Berrineau, a vulgar battle-scarred man whose character is unimpeachable and whose idea of duty includes awful repercussions.

I loved this story and I couldn't put it down. If I had one criticism to give, it's that Conroy tried to put too much into the novel - too many problems and taboos and tried to fix hundreds of years worth of problems in one book. But, that's not really a criticism because he did it and did it well. Bravo.

CV Rick